The IR cameras can help improve the spatial computing experience. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac
Apple could equip a future AirPods variant with camera modules. The earbuds may incorporate an IR camera, like the one Apple uses for iPhone’s Face ID.
This will apparently help the AirPods Pro to better integrate with the Vision Pro and improve the spatial computing experience.
Apple Intelligence could take a while to come to the Vision Pro. Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac
Apple will reportedly bring Apple Intelligence to the Vision Pro. The AI-powered features will not arrive alongside iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia, but will eventually come to Apple’s AR/VR headset.
Many Apple Intelligence features would greatly benefit visionOS and help speed up its existing workflows.
Need a top-notch PDF editor for Mac? Get PDF Reader Pro and you can easily sign PDFs, edit text, swap out images and more. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
PDFs have become the standard for document sharing and archiving, but the file format is notoriously difficult to work with and manipulate. However, there is a way around that problem, thanks to purpose-built PDF editors like PDF Reader Pro for Mac.
Natalie Portman, Jake Gyllenhaal and Vince Vaughn all headline series on Apple TV+ in summer 2024. Photo: Apple TV+/Cult of Mac
Apple TV+ subscribers are getting new comedies and thrillers to enjoy in summer 2024. And there are plenty of big-name stars, too. Eight new shows debuted between the beginning of June and the end of August (and a film to boot).
Here’s what’s new on Apple’s streaming service or coming in the next two months.
Sounds like this year's Apple Watch might bring the biggest screen ever. Image: Cult of Mac
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We’re excited about a bigger Apple Watch screen, dubious about a cheaper Vision headset tethered to an iPhone or Mac, and excited about new features coming soon to AirPods Pro.
Also on The CultCast:
The latest iOS 18 beta brings a few new features, including a couple we haven’t talked much about.
iPhone repairs are about to get a little more user-friendly.
Sorry, EU. No Apple Intelligence for you! Is Apple actually scared to deploy its AI suite to Europe, or is Tim Cook playing chicken with EU regulators?
Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.
Make learning fun and easy with this $40 app that summarizes podcasts, TED talks and more. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Podcasts and TED Talks are a lot of things, but short isn’t one of them. Sure, there’s a time and place for a three-hour deep dive, but the 15 minutes you have free after work isn’t one of them.
These unfinished concepts go back 40 years. Image: Apple/Jim Abeles/Canoo/DongleBookPro/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
Apple only shows off its finished products, which makes the company’s secret prototypes and early concepts all the more fascinating. Details of these first-draft designs usually don’t come out until years after Apple dreams them up and discards them. Even if you’re well-versed in Apple history, these alternate-history unreleased Apple products will intrigue and confuse.
The wild and crazy ideas go back more than 40 years. If anything, it proves that Apple continuously skates toward the next hit. The quest for innovation continues, no matter whether the company is in dire straits or cruising on success. Keep reading or watch our video to see the wildest Apple products that might have been.
Eva and Rovender are main characters in WondLa on Apple TV+ Photo: Apple TV+
Given all the doomsday bunker TV shows in recent years — Silo, Fallout, The Unbreakable Kimmie Schmidt, Doomsday Bunkers — you knew an animated version for kids and families would come along eventually. And it has. In the WondLa, a teen born and living underground is forced to a surface of Earth populated by aliens and covered in otherworldy plants and animals.
So what happened to all the humans?
Update: The ambitious animated adventure series is now on Apple TV+. All seven episodes of the first season are available to stream immediately.
Edifier makes high-quality audio products for mid-range budgets. Photo: [email protected]
Looks like today’s computer setup user spent bigger bucks on an M2 MacBook Pro and an epic ultra-wide curved display, and smaller bucks on a good sound system. That’s smart, because you can get high-quality near-field-monitor speakers for your desktop without spending a mint — if you go with something like this user’s Edifier R1280T speakers.
The "R" in R series stands for "rotatable" kickstands. Photo: Torras
When it comes to protecting your iPhone and keeping it secure, not all kickstand cases are created equal. Torras’ Ostand iPhone 15 cases — the R series and the Spin series — deliver military-grade drop protection. And their rugged and rigorously tested kickstands will hold your iPhone in place, even under adverse conditions.
The strong magnets in these slim cases ensure reliable MagSafe charging, and their sturdy kickstands put your iPhone right where you want it. Each model delivers something different, but they all provide great protection, a powerful magnetic hold and some of the toughest and most versatile iPhone kickstands in the business.
European Union's commissioner for competition Margrethe Vestager met with Apple CEO Tim Cook in early 2024. Photo: Margrethe Vestager
Margrethe Vestager, the European Union’s commissioner for competition, said Thursday that Apple’s decision to not offer its artificial intelligence upgrades for iPhone and Mac in the European Union is an admission that the company knows the features are anticompetitive.
In contrast, Apple says interoperability requirements in EU law would make the AI features a risk to user privacy.
These HomeKit-compatible smart plugs with Thread support 250+ devices for just $70. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
This smart plug deal is a quick and easy way to make your house a smart home. The Belkin Wemo Smart Plug with Matter’s Thread mesh networking comes in a three-pack, and it’s fully compatible with your Apple devices or Apple HomeKit.
People in select countries in Asia can get Vision Pro today. Photo: Apple
Vision Pro launched in Apple Stores in China, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore on Friday. It’s the first time the AR headset has been officially available outside the United States since it debuted in February.
In addition, the product went up for preorder in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and the U.K. on Friday. Delivery will come in July.
A new tech from Apple could make iPhone battery replacement easier. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple could use electrically induced adhesive debonding to make battery removal easier on future iPhones. The company reportedly might use this technology in at least one iPhone 16 model this year.
The move could help Apple make iPhones more repair-friendly — and help Apple comply with upcoming EU laws.
More like “videomail” or “videomessage.” Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
You can send a FaceTime voicemail to someone if they don’t answer when you need to video chat. It’s better than leaving a regular voicemail because it’s video — you can relay a message quickly or show something off on camera.
For instance, if your dog or your human child is doing something cute, or if you want to get a second opinion on an outfit, you might want to show someone. If they don’t answer your FaceTime call, you can record a video to send them to watch later.
The control for the iPad Magic Keyboard's backlight isn't where you might think it is. Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Some people complain that the Apple Magic Keyboard for iPad lacks a backlight for the keys. Turns out the accessory really has one but the controls aren’t where you might expect.
Here’s how to find the control for the Magic Keyboard in the Control Center. And how to adjust the backlight, too.
Here's your first look at "Slow Horses" season 4. Once again, somebody deserves an award for giving Gary Oldman the Jackson Lamb look (you know, makeup that suggests decades of booze, smokes, greasy food and stress). Photo: Apple TV+
Here’s your eagerly awaited dead drop, Slow Horses fans: The fourth season of the BAFTA Award-winning espionage series returns to Apple TV+ on September 4, according to the “first look” the streamer gave Thursday. That’s the image above. And once again, some makeup artist deserves major awards for making Gary Oldman look like sagging spymaster Jackson Lamb, poster boy for decades of booze, smokes, greasy food, stress and betrayal.
Students in the Propel Center Arts & Entertainment Industry Accelerator program tour Apple Music's Nashville studios. Photo: Apple
Dozens of students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) participated in a two-week creative arts program funded by Apple’s Racial Equality and Justice Initiative, the iPhone giant said Thursday.
Apple’s Propel Center and Apple Music’s Nashville office worked with two universities on the program. It aims to help students pursue creative and executive careers in the arts, particularly music.
It's easy to sign up and get started. Photo: Upgraded
A fresh approach to owning a MacBook is here. With Upgraded’s subscription service, you can enjoy the latest MacBook every two years without the hefty upfront cost.
Starting at just $36.06 per month for a MacBook Air and $52.17 for a MacBook Pro with AppleCare+ included, this service keeps you updated with the newest models seamlessly. Interest rates start at 0% and vary based on your credit score. You can check out all available models at getupgraded.com.
The writer and one of the stars of "Dark Matter" seem interested in making season 2. Photo: Apple TV+
Blake Crouch, who wrote the bestselling novel Dark Matter that was adapted into a hit Apple TV+ series, said this week he’s open to the idea of making season 2.
The sci-fi thriller’s season one finale premiered Wednesday.
★★★★☆
UGR Tech Dual USB-C + USB-A 3.2 High Speed Flash Drive is better than you might think. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
UGR Tech Dual USB-C + USB-A 3.2 High Speed Flash Drive plugs into your new Mac or iPad but it can also be used with devices that still have an old full-size USB port.
It’s a low-cost flash drive so I was very suspicious. But the aluminum exterior is quite rugged, the design is clever and the accessory passed a fraud test.
Splish splash! These bone-conduction headphones work in the water. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
If you like swimming — and you like listening to music, podcasts or training materials while you’re in the water — you need a solid pair of swim headphones. Swym bone-conduction headphones cling to the outside of your ear and play audio using vibrations through the bones in your ear.
True Tone on third-party iPhone displays? Yes, please! Photo: Apple
Apple will improve support for third-party iPhone displays and batteries later this year. The company revealed this in a new whitepaper published on June 26.
Titled “Longevity, by Design,” Apple detailed approach to longevity in the whitepaper.
Download bulk images from Pinterest, Instagram and more with this $30 app. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Before you start right-clicking up a storm to save multiple images from a website, try Imaget. This bulk image downloader works on Mac and Windows, and you can use it to grab multiple pix from Instagram, Pinterest and more.
OpenAI introduces a native ChatGPT app for Mac, and it's free for all users. Photo: Unsplash
OpenAI made the native ChatGPT Mac app available for all users Wednesday. It gives Mac users easy access to the artificial intelligence capabilities of the cutting-edge chatbot, as well as features not available with the web interface.
The free macOS app is “designed to integrate seamlessly into anything you’re doing on your computer,” according to OpenAI.